In this review, we will be comparing Scala Utopia Evo and Epicon 8, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Focal and DALI.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Scala Utopia Evo and DALI Epicon 8 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Scala Utopia Evo | DALI Epicon 8 |
|---|
| Brand | Focal
France · founded 1979 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Inverted Dome | 1.14" Hybrid dome + planar |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 10.5" W sandwich | 2 x 8" Wood fibre |
|---|
| Frequency response | 27-40k Hz | 35-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 5 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-500 watts | 50-500 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 85.00kg / 187lbs | — |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 49-1/8" x 26-3/8" x 15-1/2"
1247.0 x 670.0 x 393.0mm | 48.23" x 10.39" x 19.09"
1225 x 264 x 485 mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Scala Utopia Evo and Epicon 8 are 3-way speakers.
Focal Scala Utopia EvoDALI Epicon 8
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Focal Scala Utopia Evo |
DALI Epicon 8 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.14-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 10.5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Scala Utopia Evo features a 1.1" Beryllium Inverted Dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 1 x 10.5" W sandwich Woofer. On the other hand, the Epicon 8 features a 1.14" Hybrid dome + planar Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Wood fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 550 / 3100 / 15000Hz.
Frequency Response
Scala Utopia Evo has a frequency range of 27-40k Hz whereas Epicon 8 has a frequency range of 35-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 27Hz, the Scala Utopia Evo can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Epicon 8's min frequency of 35Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Scala Utopia Evo is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Epicon 8 which has a nominal impedance of 5 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Scala Utopia Evo sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the Epicon 8's is rated at 89 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Focal Scala Utopia Evo a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Epicon 8, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Scala Utopia Evo and Epicon 8 have the same power range of 50-500 watts.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Scala Utopia Evo and Epicon 8 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Focal Scala Utopia Evo's and DALI Epicon 8's external dimensions. Focal Scala Utopia Evo has external dimensions of 1247.0 x 670.0 x 393.0mm (49-1/8 x 26-3/8 x 15-1/2inch) whereas DALI Epicon 8 has external dimensions of 1225 x 264 x 485 mm ().
DALI Epicon 8 is 406mm narrower and 22mm shorter than Focal Scala Utopia Evo but it is also 92mm deeper.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Focal Scala Utopia Evo needs about 106% more floor or shelf area. DALI Epicon 8 is 92mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Focal Scala Utopia Evo is 22mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Focal Scala Utopia Evo is approximately 2633.1cm2 / 408.1inch2 and base area of the DALI Epicon 8 is approximately 1280.4cm2 / 198.5inch2. The Scala Utopia Evo requires 106% more surface area than the Epicon 8 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.